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Jaguars Notebook: Defense got to Tom Brady; something to build on?

Bob.Mack@jacksonville.com Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts looks for running room after a reception in front of the Titans' Jason McCourty in the fourth quarter at EverBank Field on Nov. 25. Shorts will miss the next game with a concussion.

The Jaguars’ defense last Sunday hit Patriots quarterback Tom Brady more than any other team has in the past three seasons.

Though the Jaguars blitzed on only 11 percent of the snaps, the Boston Globe reported that their 13 hits on Brady were four more than the previous high set three times since the start of the 2010 season. The Jaguars pressured Brady on almost half his dropbacks.

The Globe didn’t give the Jaguars much credit for the performance, blaming it on the Patriots’ poor play. The Jaguars had a different interpretation.

“We had a good game plan going in,’’ said middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, who said he could understand the spin in New England that the Patriots didn’t play well.

Defensive end Jason Babin said, “We took a step forward as a defense, but we didn’t get the job done [because they lost].”

Want to win finale

Now the defensive players want to pick up where they left off against the Patriots when they play the season finale in Tennessee Sunday. They want to end the season on a winning note.

“We don’t want to sit around the offseason thinking about a poor performance [in the last game],” Babin said.

Posluszny said, “It’s been hit or miss for us. We’ve seen what we can do against an elite team and the best quarterback in the NFL and we want to continue that. We have one more shot.”

No MJD likely

Running back Maurice Jones-Drew didn’t practice Thursday, a sign that he will definitely miss the season finale. The Jaguars could put him on the injured reserve list to activate a player from the practice squad so they can bring him back next year.

The only other Jaguar who didn’t practice was guard Uche Nwaneri, who has a concussion.

Linebacker Daryl Smth (groin) was limited for a second consecutive day while linebacker Julian Stanford (hip) was limited after not practicing Wednesday.

Titans running back Chris Johnson didn’t practice Wednesday and Thursday because of an ankle injury, but said he expects to play.

Uncertain future

The Jaguars coaches assume they will be back next year and are making plans for their offseason evaluations, which will begin in about 10 days.

“It seems very rare there is a one-and-done coach in the league,” said offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski. “If it is, you can’t do anything about it. You have to plan for what you’re going to be doing here in about 10 days.”

Defensive line coach Joe Cullen confirmed that he turned down an offer from his good friend, Boston College’s new coach, Steve Addazio, to be the team’s defensive coordinator.

‘Socialistic’ Eagles

Babin, who was claimed off waivers from the Eagles, told Tennessee writers on a conference call Wednesday that the Eagles have a “a big socialistic system.”

He also said the team leaked false stories about defensive line coach Jim Washburn, who like Babin, came to the Eagles from Tennessee, and was fired after Babin was cut.

When Babin was asked to explain what he meant by the Eagles having a socialistic system, he said, “I’m a highly political guy and I was using it as a metaphor. I was trying to give them a tidbit so they would do their homework as to what I was referring to.”

He added, “I have moved on,” when asked to explain what he was referring to.

Babin said he was “all in” with the Jaguars as soon as he arrived and said the team wants him to take a role as a leader.

Replacing Shorts

Bratkowski said that with Cecil Shorts (concussion) out, the team will use a committee system to replace him.

Three former practice squad players, Toney Clemons, Mike Brown and Jerrell Jackson, may all get playing time. Clemons was signed from the Pittsburgh practice squad on Nov. 27 and now has a chance to start.

“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity,” Clemons said. “I’m preparing as if I’m going to get a lot of snaps.”